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ASNE president comments on special prosecutor subpoenas

RESTON, Va. American Society of Newspaper Editors President Sandra Mims Rowe, editor of The Oregonian, Portland, made the following statement regarding special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's subpoenas of government officials regarding their contacts with the press:

RESTON, Va. American Society of Newspaper Editors President Sandra Mims Rowe, editor of The Oregonian, Portland, made the following statement regarding special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's subpoenas of government officials regarding their contacts with the press:

There can be no good purpose served when an investigator subpoenas government people to learn if they have talked to reporters. It is not a crime for governmental officials to talk to reporters, and no criminal act is committed by a reporter when that happens. The subpoenas in question would appear to be aimed at intimidating the press.

ASNE, with 875 members, is an organization of the main editors of daily newspapers in the United States and Canada.